Bill would expand right to use deadly force in ArkansasLITTLE ROCK (AP) — An Arkansas lawmaker is proposing expanding citizen's rights to use deadly force to defend themselves. Republican Rep. Dwight Tosh of Jonesboro on Tuesday filed a "stand your ground" bill that would expand the legal justifications for someone to use deadly force in self-defense rather than retreating. State law currently allows a person to use deadly force in self-defense without the duty to retreat within their home or the ...

Revenue sees major boost in JanuaryLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A boost in all major tax collection categories in January lifted Arkansas' revenue above expectations and higher than the same month last year, state finance officials said Tuesday. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration said the state's net available revenue last month totaled $521.3 million, which was $37.6 million above January 2014 and $36.2 million above forecast. The state's revenue for the fiscal year t...

House panel rejects larger class size proposalLITTLE ROCK (AP) — An Arkansas House committee has rejected a Senate bill that would allow public schools to temporarily exceed the maximum allowed class size. Members of the House Committee on Education on Tuesday voted against the proposal after teachers and parents voiced concerns that larger class sizes would burden educators and students. The bill would allow public schools to exceed the maximum class size by up to two students for one se...

Woman found dead in Baxter County homeJORDAN (AP) — Baxter County authorities are investigating the death of a woman found in a home in the town of Jordan in the southeastern part of the county. Sheriff John Montgomery stated Deborah Kinney, 59, was found dead Monday by her husband. Montgomery said foul play is not suspected, but the cause of death has not been determined and the body was sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner's Office in Little Rock for an autopsy.

Panel advances bill creating Medicaid task forceLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A proposed task force to study alternatives for covering the thousands of people on Arkansas' compromise Medicaid expansion advanced to a House vote Tuesday, as legislative leaders tried to avoid a bitter fight over the future of the first-in-the-nation program. The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee endorsed legislation setting up a 16-member task force to come up with recommendations on the future of the stat...

Faulkner County deputy treated, released after being shotCONWAY (AP) — Faulkner County authorities say a sheriff's deputy who was shot while serving a search warrant has been treated and released at a local hospital. Chief Deputy Matt Rice told reporters that the deputy was with other officers serving a search warrants as part of a drug investigation at a home in Conway when he was shot. Rice said a suspect was arrested. The deputy was taken to the local hospital where he was treated.

Legislative Black Caucus supports holiday changeLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Members of Arkansas' Legislative Black Caucus said Monday they'd back another attempt to stop the state from recognizing Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. on the same day. A House panel rejected the idea last week after opponents said that removing Lee from the January holiday would belittle Southern heritage. The bill's sponsor met with the 15-member Legislative Black Caucus on Mond...

Officials warn of wheat fungal infectionsLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Officials say a fungus that harms wheat crops has been found in central and eastern Arkansas. The University of Arkansas System's Cooperative Extension Service said Monday that stripe rust has been found in Jefferson, Lincoln and Lee counties. Extension officials say the disease is the most important wheat ailment for wheat growers to monitor. They say it has appeared earlier this growing season than usual but cooler tempera...

House would let victim relatives witness executionsLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas House members are supporting a proposal that would let family members of murder victims witness executions in-person. Lawmakers voted 95-0 Monday to permit adult family members to attend the execution of a person convicted of killing a relative. The proposal keeps an attendance cap of 30 but provides an exception for family members. Relatives of victims can currently ask to watch via closed-circuit television in a p...

Panel advances plan to boost officials' salariesLITTLE ROCK (AP) — An Arkansas panel advanced a proposal Monday to more than double legislators' pay and substantially raise other elected officials' salaries, but cautioned the plan could change if the thousands of dollars in expense reimbursements lawmakers currently receive aren't eliminated. The Independent Citizens Commission called for the pay hikes in an initial review of salaries for the state's legislators, judges and constitutional o...

3 killed in 2 separate accidents Sunday on Arkansas roadsBENTON (AP) — Arkansas State Police say three people were killed in two separate auto accidents in Arkansas on Sunday, including two who died in a head-on collision in Benton. A police report stated Justin Metcalf of Sheridan, 24, and Robert East, 31, of Little Rock died early Sunday when the vehicles they were driving collided head-on on Highway 70. Two passengers, one in each vehicle, were hospitalized in undisclosed conditions. Also Sunday,...

Arkansas lawmaker seeks protections for hair braidersLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An upcoming vote by Arkansas lawmakers could end a federal court lawsuit claiming the state unfairly discriminates against African-style hair braiders. Rep. Bob Ballinger, R-Hindsville said it is illogical for the state to include braiding under its cosmetology laws and that the law harms small businesses. He contacted the Virginia-based Institute for Justice after it filed the lawsuit last summer. The Arkansas Departm...

Conway officials unveil memorial for fallen police officerCONWAY, Ark. (AP) - Conway community members have celebrated the dedication of a memorial honoring a slain police officer. The Log Cabin Democrat (http://bit.ly/168FDra ) reports friends, family and officers gathered Saturday afternoon for the unveiling of the Officer Will McGary Memorial Mile. McGary was killed in February 2013 after being struck by a vehicle while directing traffic along Dave Ward Drive. Two green and white signs have been e...

Arkansas officials to examine school district boundariesLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - State education officials will consider redrawing school district boundaries in the Little Rock area following the takeover of the state's largest district. Arkansas Board of Education member Jay Barth of Little Rock will head a committee to examine how many districts should serve the area and where to place the boundaries, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/1z1OFSr ) reported. Where are people living? What i...

Body found in wreckage is that of missing nursing studentBUFFALO VALLEY, Okla. (AP) - Authorities say the body found in an overturned sport utility vehicle in southeastern Oklahoma has been confirmed as that of a missing nursing student who was traveling home to McAlester from Arkansas. Oklahoma Civil Air Patrol Maj. Rick Rutledge told reporters the body found Sunday is that of 21-year-old Callie Morris. Morris had been reported missing when she failed to arrive in McAlester after leaving Hot Spring...

3rd suspect arrested in shooting death of Arkadelphia clerkLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas State Police say the third of three suspects wanted in the shooting death of an Arkadelphia convenience store clerk has been arrested. State police spokesman Bill Sadler says the third suspect was arrested Sunday afternoon at a southwest Little Rock motel. The man and two other suspects arrested earlier were being held in the Clark County Jail in Arkadelphia. The three are suspects in the Jan. 25 robbery of Jo...

Reward offered in unsolved North Little Rock shooting deathNORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The family of a North Little Rock man who was shot to death nearly a year ago is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/166cRaW ) that the family of Earnest "Butch" Kennedy is offering the reward. The 64-year-old Kennedy was found shot to death at his home on May 28, 2014. The case remains unsolved. A police r...

3 killed in 2 separate accidents Sunday on Arkansas roadsBENTON, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas State Police say three people were killed in two separate auto accidents in Arkansas on Sunday, including two who died in a head-on collision in Benton. A police report says 24-year-old Justin Metcalf of Sheridan and 31-year-old Robert East of Little Rock died early Sunday when the vehicles they were driving collided head-on on Highway 70. Two passengers, one in each vehicle, were hospitalized in undisclosed condit...

Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus supports holiday changeLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus is backing a lawmaker's repeat attempt to stop the state from recognizing Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. on the same day. A House panel rejected the plan last week. Republican Rep. Nate Bell of Mena met with the 15-member caucus on Monday. He said afterward he will run his bill again, but doesn't know when he will do so. Arkansas is one ...

Arkansas House approves restriction to abortion medicationLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas House members have overwhelmingly supported a bill that would require doctors to be present when women take abortion-inducing medication. Lawmakers passed the bill 83-4 on Monday. It would prevent any instance of the medication being administered through telemedicine and require that doctors attempt to schedule a follow-up visit. Republican Rep. Julie Mayberry of Hensley says the medication isn't administered ...